Kompong Phluk, the floating village of Cambodia

While we agree that Cambodia is a destination that has been swarming with tourists for quite some decades now, there is an offbeat side to it that only a few know of. If you have been seeking for an experience that will take you off the touristy circuit while still in Cambodia, there is Kompong Phluk, a floating village.

Quite new on the travel guide books, this village sees only the most ardent travellers, for the other two tinier floating villages attract most of them. An interesting thing to note about Kompong Phluk is the fact that it is not actually floating; it is built over stilts. This rather large village is perched on stilts over the bed of Tonle Sap, a seasonal freshwater lake.

It is a commune village in the Siem Reap province, with fishing being the main income source. Most of the tuk-tuk drivers in Cambodia will mention it to you, for it is lesser known than most of this country’s attractions.

What awaits you at Kompong Phluk?

This floating village in Cambodia will make you privy to the unique lifestyle here. It is quite absorbing to watch the locals going on with daily chores, such as laundry, cooking, fishing and much more, while still going up and down the swinging ladders! It is great fun to watch kids going off to school after some customary hops down these hand-hewn houses. A regular boat tour of the village will let you get a close peek into a life that is strikingly different from daily grind.

The village is home to close to 3000 people, most of whom practice fishing. The very existence of a village that is cut off from most notions of modernity, in such proximity to Siem Reap, is a surprise. Yes, a surprise, for there are no 5-star hotels here; Kompong Phluk is a more realistic picture of life in Cambodian villages, and there is little denying its lure even when it has no luxury to offer.

When to visit Kompong Phluk?

December and January make for the perfect time to visit Kompong Phluk; this is the dry season and you can see houses jutting out of the lake bed on the stilts. This is also when more houses get built here, for locals move in here once it is December.

Come monsoon (June to November) and the lake gets faded, obscuring the stilts, making it less interesting to visit it then.

How to reach Kompong Phluk?

You can reach this wonder via a boat that will take you upriver from Siem Reap for around 15 km; while there are a number of tour operators on the circuit, you can ask your hotel staff, or your cab driver, to make the reservations for you. Getting your tickets booked this way is cheaper than the packages offered by tour operators. You will be rowed through mangroves to reach the village, for there are no roads, cars, tuk-tuks or any other mode of commute to get here.

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Kompong Phluk, the floating village of Cambodia

If you have been seeking for an experience that will take you off the touristy circuit while still in Cambodia, there is Kompong Phluk, a floating village. Quite new on the travel guide books, this vi...